Magic rookie Daniel Orton tries to be patient

October 24, 2010|By Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel

For most rookies, the month before the NBA regular season typically offers a fantastic learning opportunity. The youngsters pick up X's and O's, but most of all, they discover just how much they need to improve in order to compete with veteran players.

Sidelined by a weak left leg he injured back in high school, Orton has watched from the sidelines as his teammates have spent the last month scrimmaging, playing exhibition games and jelling with one another. Orton knows his rehabilitation program likely will pay off in the long run. Still, that hasn't made the present much easier to endure.

"I've always loved playing, so when you take playing away from me, it kind of hurts," Orton said Sunday, after the Magic scrimmaged without him.

"It really is frustrating to try and get back. It's something that I've always rushed, but now they're making me take it slow. So, I figure it's going to be really beneficial for me to take it slow, take my time getting back into it and make sure I'm in the proper shape."

Orton probably would have benefitted from preseason practices, scrimmages and exhibitions more than any other Magic player. The 20-year-old center played just one season at the University of Kentucky, and he didn't start a single game for the Wildcats. He needs all the experience he can get.

Magic officials decided that the 6-foot-10, 255-pound rookie needed to spend the last few months strengthening the muscles around his left knee.

Orton, the 29th overall pick last June, partially tore the knee's anterior cruciate ligament during his junior year of high school in Oklahoma City. The next year, he tore meniscus cartilage in the same knee. Doctors repaired both injuries then, but Orton rushed back after surgery in order to play in the Oklahoma state playoffs.

So, Orton has spent more time in the weight room lately than on the basketball court. He started to do some on-court drills just a couple of weeks ago; even then, Orton occasionally has been matched up in those drills with the team's reed-thin scouting information manager, Charles Klask, not an NBA big man like Dwight Howard, Marcin Gortat or Malik Allen.

On Saturday, Orton did practice with his teammates, but in that session, the Magic only ran through their offense in a 5-on-0 drill.

"It's a long road back, especially for a rookie," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It's hard enough to come back off an injury, but he's a rookie who's essentially missed all of training camp and missed the foundation of everything we've put in. So, learning it on the fly now is not going to be an easy thing.

"I think the word with him is 'patience.' It's going to take a long time. I don't think we know what timeline is."

Orton said he hopes to be able to practice fully within two weeks.

Still, when the regular season begins, the team will have fewer practice days and scrimmages. It wouldn't be a surprise if Orton plays a few games for the Magic's NBA Development League affiliate, the New Mexico Thunderbirds, especially during stretches when the Magic have few practices.

For the moment, though, he has to be patient.

"I know there's work to be done," he said. "I have to put forth the work to get back to where I want to be."

Read Josh Robbins' blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/magicblog and e-mail him at jrobbins@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to our Magic e-mail newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/newsletters.